"Grey's Anatomy" Beats "American Idol's" Move to 9pm in Adults 18-49/"Scandal" Dominates at 10pm and Is the #2 TV Show of the Night

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 6.1 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49): For the 3rd week in a row, ABC ranked #1 on Thursday in Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· ABC's Scandal (2.7/8) was the #2 TV show of the night Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' top-rated The Big Bang Theory.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (8-9pm - 3.1 million and 0.8/3 in AD18-49): During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland retained 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate numbers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. From 8-9pm, the ABC freshman drama topped NBC's comedies by 11% in Total Viewers (3.1 million vs. 2.8 million for Community/Parks and Recreation).

Grey's Anatomy (9-10pm - 7.1 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49): Nearly tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+188%), ABC's Grey's Anatomy (2.3/7) continued to win its hour, beating Fox's time period premiere of American Idol (+5% - 2.2/6). In fact in its shift 9pm, American Idol matched a series low for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49. In addition, Grey's outdelivered American Idol by 19% in Adults 18-34 (1.9/7 vs. 1.6/6).

Scandal (10-11pm - 8.1 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49): Building on its Grey's lead-in among Adults 18-49 at 10pm (+17%), ABC's Scandal (2.7/8) towered over the final hour of the night, beating CBS' Elementary by 59% (1.7/5) and NBC's Parenthood by 125% (1.2/4). Scandal paced within 1-tenth of its week ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 number. Scandal was Thursday's #1 most social TV program, gaining 3% week to week (320,869 tweets vs. 310,485 tweets) and pacing well ahead of runner-up American Idol, which had 53,087 tweets.

Quick Take for Thursday, March 13, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is No. 1 on Thursday for the 3rd Straight Week in Adults 18-34 and Key Women

"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" Continues to Outdraw NBC's Comedies

Nearly Tripling its Adult 18-49 Lead-in, "Grey's" Beats "Idol" in its Move to 9pm

"Scandal" Dominates at 10pm by 59% in Adults 18-49 Over its Closest Competition

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.1 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

For the 3rd week in a row, ABC ranked No. 1 on Thursday in Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· ABC's "Scandal" (2.7/8) was the No. 2 TV show of the night in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' top-rated "The Big Bang Theory."

"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 3.1 million and 0.8/3 in AD18-49):

During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" retained 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate numbers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. From 8:00-9:00 p.m., the ABC freshman drama topped NBC's comedies by 11% in Total Viewers (3.1 million vs. 2.8 million for "Community"/"Parks and Recreation").

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.1 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):

Nearly tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+188%), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (2.3/7) continued to win its hour, beating Fox's time period premiere of "American Idol" (+5% - 2.2/6). In fact, in its shift to 9:00 p.m., "American Idol" matched a series low for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC drama outdelivered "Idol" by 19% in Adults 18-34 (1.9/7 vs. 1.6/6).

"Scandal" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.1 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49):

Building on its "Grey's" lead-in among Adults 18-49 at 10:00 p.m. (+17%), ABC's "Scandal" (2.7/8) towered over the final hour of the night, beating CBS' "Elementary" by 59% (1.7/5) and NBC's "Parenthood" by 125% (1.2/4). "Scandal" paced within 1-tenth of its week ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 number. The ABC drama was Thursday's No. 1 most social TV program, gaining 3% week to week (320,869 tweets vs. 310,485 tweets) and pacing well ahead of runner-up "American Idol," which had 53,087 tweets.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 49% currently, from 47% at the same point in 2013. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next-day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live + Same Day Program Ratings, 03/13/14. Nielsen Social Guide, total tweets, as dated.